The Hazel Green herald. [volume] (Hazel Green, Wolfe County, Ky.) 1885-19??, 1887-09-23
DEATH OF sx-eov. BLACKBURN.
A Remarkable Man and Honored Citizen
Has Passed to His Reward.
Cincinnati Enquirer.l

Cincinnati Enquirer.l
FRANKFORT, KY, September 14.-Ex-
Governor Luke p. Blackburn, who was
Governor of Kentucky from 1879 TO 1888,
died here this afternoon at half-past two
o'clock, aftera lingering illness of sever
al months. He had heart affection that
gradually weakened him, and the physi-
clans expected his death months ago, but
he exhibited a remarkable vitality and
lived several days in perfectly comatose
condition. Last Saturday the doctors
noticed a decided change for the worse,
and after that he was unable to recognize
anyone. Last night his lower limits be-
gan to grow cold, and his friends knew
the end was near, and he expired quietly
this afternoon without ever regaining
consciousness. The last words were
spoken by him Saturday, and were: ooh,
how bright is religion" All his imme-
date family were here except his brother,
Senator Joe Blackburn, who is in New
York. The funeral services will take
place from the Episcopal Church Friday
morning at eleven o'clock, Rev. Il. A.
Henick officiating, assisted by the rector
of Christ Church, of Louisville, of which
he was q consistent member. His remains
will be inferred in the Frankfort Gene
terry.
The death of Ex-Governor Blackburn
takes from the stage of action a promi-
nenL actor in the busy scenes of life.
DR.. Luke p. Blackburn had been for
half century i'll positions to attract to
him large share of the attention Of his
countrymen, and where ppblic trusts
were placed in his hands he never failed
to justify the confidence reposed in him,
He was strong, impulsive man, vigor-
Gus of mind and body, tenacious of his
own opinions and thoroughly devoted to
his profession. DR.. Blackburn was born
June 16, 1916, in WoodfOrd county, Ken
lucky. His father, Edward NJ, but
better known as Ned Blackburn, was
EDUCATED AS A LAWYER,
But soon abandoned the law and became
one of the most considerable farmers
and stockraisers of the State. His taste,
as those of his defendants, rap toward
the thoroughbred horse, and the Black
burn stock became famous in their day.
Not few of the best racers in the coun-
try trace their lineage to Blackburn's
whip" Old Ned Blackburn was a man
Of character, and his sons all attained to
some distinction OF another. Captain j.
C. S. Blackburn was long Congressman
and is now United States Senator from
Kentucky. Captain James BlackbpTn is,
like his father, lawyer and farmer, and
resides at the old farm near Spring Sta
ton on the Louisville and Lexington
Railroad Luke p. studied medicine at
the old Pennsylvania Medical College at
Lexington, which was famous institu-
ton in its day-perhaps the foremost of
its kind in the United States. After
graduating he began the practice of his
profession in Lexington, where he mar
ried Miss Ella Guest Roosevelt, daughter
of DR.. Joseph Roosevelt, of that pace.
He was yet not twenty years of age when |
the cholera broke out in Versailles, the |
county seat of WGodford. This was in |
1885. This was the first opportunity he
had of displaying that wonderful faculty |
of controlling infectious diseases which |
distinguished his after career. After
some of the local physicians had sacrifi
ced their lives and the Others had fled |
from the dreadful scourge, DR.. Blackburn,
alone, for DAYS answered the call to
Lexington for medical aid. This
DbAh6D HIM ~ NOODFOHh LII,
And when the cholera disappeared they
invited DR.. Blackburn to settle among
them. This he did and established quite
a lucrative practice. He also entered into
the manufacture Of bagging and rope.
but the financial depression of 1889
ruined this business. In 1843 he was
elected to the Legislature, and when his
term expired he removed TO Natchez,
Mississippi. There he resumed the med
ical practice and acquired reputation
for knowledge and skill over the entire
South. When the yellow fever broke
out in New Orleans in 1888, DIR. Black
burn was Health Officer of Natchez.
He was instructed to establish quaran-
tine, which he did so cffectually that it
attracted the attention of the country.
DR.. Blackburn studying infectious dis
eases always held that yellowfever was in
fectious and transmissible and upon that
theory he guarded against its introduction
to NatchCz. He established hospitals for
yellow fever patients, meeting with great
success. On the strength of it, the Gen
eral Government established marine
hospital Mt Natchez, making DIR. Black
burn Surgeon of il, position he held for
many years. Afterward ten Others were
on the same plan, and the
Blackburn system Of marine hospitals is
the one now in vogue throughout the
country.
DIR. Blackburn, after his Versailles
experience, gave much Of his time 10 the
study Of contagious diseases, and arrived
at the conclusion that exemption from
Asiatic cholera might be obtained by the
use Of pure. soft water, like that ia good
risIorns Lie hnllnrnh that he discnlarnd